I have been working on my website for months. As an new writer I would rather spend my time working on my craft and not getting tied into knots trying to figure out all this website technology! It is driving me crazy.
It all started about a year ago when I started writing a book about my trip across the United States by bicycle. It was a challenge that I created to force myself to do what I feared most, WRITING! So, I sat down at the page, enrolled in a recommended creative writing course with Jack Grapes, and began my journey. I’m still on that uphill climb. With the help of my Jack Grapes family it is far less painful.
Because of that nurturing family of writers that took me into their arms and just wouldn’t let go, I am still writing. I have really gotten to like it, even though it never gets easier. I have stuck with it. And I feel good about that. I have also completed 2 drafts of the book I’m calling “Across America: a slow roll through America and back to myself”. I can’t believe I have written a book! Can you imagine that?!
So, now what? Well I decided to sign up for IWOSC (Independent Writers of Southern California) seminars about book publishing and marketing. The first thing that I learned was that I needed a website! Oh no! I really didn’t want to pay thousands of my precious saved dollars to have someone design a website for me! And where would I find that person anyway? So, I decided to do it myself.
At the beginning of 2019 I started learning how to create a WordPress website. I had dabbled a little with website design in the past but never got really good at it. I usually quite before the going got tough. But this time it was do or die a slow death in total obscurity. And that’s when I entered into the first rabbit hole. Down into the abyss I went, falling into deep frustration and tech brain overkill. I bought website building software Elementor and Elementor Pro. I learned how design banners, footers, and pages. And I learned quickly how to burn myself out! All that nearly killed me! I gave up in the middle of March when I just couldn’t take it anymore.
I dove back into the writing thing, which, in case you’re wondering is a completely different mindset. Jack’s classes seemed to help get back to my writer’s mindset. With each class I learned more and more about the craft of tonal dynamics, how to texture my writing, and even write poetry! If you can believe that! It most importantly taught me to trust the process and just keep writing.
As I slogged through a second rewrite of the book I noticed that my writing really improved after months of a diligent work ethic. So, I felt good about myself and went back into the publishing seminars that taught me that no publisher or agent will work with me unless I brought a large group of “followers” with me. Like I was chopped liver or something? Seriously? I have to go back there?
I had to do it. I had to march right back up against the technology wall and scale it. I had to prove to myself I can get things done. So, I streamlined the website and made it simpler. Then I heard the marketing gurus say, “GET AN EMAIL LIST! MOST IMPORTANT thing an author can do”. Really? Does that mean I have to jump into the deep end and also go to the dark side? to Social Media? – Social Media that thing which I abhor and think is a giant mind bending, hate spewing, waste of time! Come on now! Get a grip – that “social media” thing will push people to my website where they can sign up for my email list. That’s how it is supposed to work. At least in theory.
Well…my bootstraping continued and I signed up for Mailchimp the free email list provider – I had no idea what I was doing. And oh great! Another thing I have to learn. Seriously! You got to be kidding me! Now… if it wasn’t for YouTube and some great tutors such as Ferdy Korpershoek, and Adam Preiser and Darrel Wilson and the NaturalVita gal I would be living in a deep dark webstite site building, email list building, hell! But I climbed out of the rabbit hole in one piece, alive and kicking and ready to write another day. Thanks guys. Everyday is another day.
I know I still have a long road ahead but I am slowly getting the hang of it. Everyone had to start somewhere. I feel good about the fact that me – A 55 year old woman is well on her way to creating an author platform that works. WOW, I can believe I did it.
Remember to “breathe, smile, and find the wonder” every day. And please sign up for my email list!
